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Press Statement BMS to Observe 25th February as “Protest Day” across the Country In response to the call given by the 21st All India Conference held at Puri, Odisha, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) will observe 25th February as “Protest Day” throughout the country. On this day, BMS units will organise dharnas and demonstrations at all district headquarters to mount pressure on both the Central and State Governments to resolve the long-pending issues faced by workers across various sectors and industries. The BMS has consistently raised several pressing issues before the Government. However, the response has remained lukewarm and inadequate. Lakhs of Mid-Day Meal workers and ASHA workers continue to receive meagre honorariums. Even after five decades of service, Anganwadi workers are still treated merely as scheme workers, despite being compelled to work more than 10 hours a day with an ever-increasing workload. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has been reluctant to enhance its honorarium, while continuously assigning additional responsibilities. Workers of the National Textile Corporation Mills in eight States have been receiving only 50% wages since the pandemic, with salaries pending for the last ten months. Employees of the Heavy Engineering Corporation, Ranchi, have not received their salaries for the past 32 months. This is the case of many other units. The minimum pension of ₹1,000 under EPS-95 remains unchanged, causing severe hardship to lakhs of pensioners. Bank employees are also compelled to agitate for the implementation of a five-day work week. In view of these serious concerns, BMS units across the country will hold dharnas, protests, demonstrations, rallies, gate meetings, wear black badges, and submit through District authorities’ memorandums addressed to the Hon’ble Prime Minister, the Union Labour Minister, and the respective Chief Ministers of States, demanding immediate resolution of the following, among other issues: Key Demands: •            Ensure strict and universal implementation of labour laws across all sectors and categories of workers, without exception, in the true spirit of Antyodaya. •            Address and rectify workers’ concerns in the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. •            Immediately convene the Indian Labour Conference and reconstitute various tripartite committees to ensure their regular, effective, and meaningful functioning for workers’ welfare. •            Enhance the monthly honorarium to all Scheme Workers. •            Increase minimum Pension from Rs 1000/ Under EPS 95 to Rs 7500/ •            Pay wage dues to in PSUs like NTC Mills, HEC Ranchi, ITI, HMT, etc. •            Introduce  “5-day work week “  in the Banking industry •            Increase the minimum pension under EPS-95 from ₹1,000 to ₹7,500 per month, along with Dearness Relief. •            Enhance the threshold limits for coverage under ESI and EPF to extend benefits to a larger section of workers. •            Increase the eligibility ceiling for payment of bonus under the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, in line with present wage levels. •            Regularise scheme workers and contract workers in accordance with the principles enshrined in Articles 14, 15, 16, and 21 of the Constitution of India. •            Immediately lift the ban on general recruitment and ensure guaranteed employment with job security, eliminating uncertainty and insecurity in service conditions. The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh urges both the Central and State Governments to respond positively and take urgent measures to address these long-standing demands in the interest of workers and national development. (Surendra Kumar Pandey) General Secretary